Best of

the Twin Cities

BEST BURGER

The Anchor Fish & Chips

It seems counterintuitive to forgo the titular specialty at a fish and chips shop, but Anchor's team of Irish expats pulls off a better burger than their American brethren. And it might be concerning to order something whose name conjures up a medical emergency, but trust us on that one, too: The Helicopter Burger at Anchor is worth risking an airlift to the nearest hospital. The patty is simultaneously dense and tender, with a rich, beefy flavor. (It's made from grass-fed beef from the highly respected Thousand Hills in Cannon Falls, so you don't have to worry about the ethical horrors of industrial meat production or the dangers of E. coli.) The lean meat is topped with all manner of cardiac threats: a creamy, robust Irish cheddar, a salty slab of Fischer Farms ham, and, as if that weren't enough, a sizzling fried egg. After you've had a burger paired with a greasy ol' sunny-side-up, you'll never want to eat one without it. No wonder the Anchor staff refers to this thing as a "dude burger"—and probably keeps 911 on speed dial.